Coordinate selector switch



April 16, 1963 I A. PALM 3,086,085

COORDINATE SELECTOR SWITCH Filed July 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 jizmfiajor.

April 16, 1963 A. PALM 3,086,085

COORDINATE SELECTOR SWITCH Filed July 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jwezajbn u /frfia J e/270.

April 16, 1963 A. PALM 3,086,085

COORDINATE SELECTOR SWITCH Filed July 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F ig.6

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s-R J A A A J 2 X fizz/62 602". a/f red United States Patent 3,086,085 C(BQRDINATE SELECTGR SWITCH Alfred Palm, Munich, Germany, assignor to Siemens &

Halske Aktiengeseilschaft Berlin and Munich, a corporation of Germany Filed .luly 9, 1959, Ser. No. 825,975 Ciaims priority, application Germany July 23, 1958 11 Claims. (Cl. 179-4754) This invention is concerned with a coordinate selector switch comprising electromagnetically actuated contacts.

Included among such selectors are socalled relay coupling boards having at each crossing point an individual energizing coil for the actuation of the contact set which bridges the corresponding crossing point. Decoupling rectifiers are connected in series with these energizing coils so as to energize, upon activation of two mutually crossing rows (line and column), only the energizing coil disposed at the crossing point. The holding of closed contacts is effected by means of holding coils which are, just as the energizing coils, individual to the respective crossing points. These structures accordingly require a considerable number of individual coils and, generally speaking, the resulting type of selector has consequently been used only in the case of relatively small communication systems.

Socalled cross-coil selectors, constituting a variant of the relay coupling board, are constructed of mutually crossing line coils and column coils, one such coil always embracing the entire corresponding line and column, respectively. Upon energization of two such mutually crossing coils, there occurs at the crossing point a summation of the corresponding fluxes, serving for the actuation of a contact set disposed at the crossing point. These contact sets are constructed of contacts which carry the magnetic flux serving for the actuation thereof. Among such contacts are primarily sealed-in contacts, also referred to as protective tube contacts. An actuated contact may be held in actuated position either by the line coil or by the column coil; however, in the absence of very close tolerances, this may easily result in erroneous actuation of other contacts, and individual holding coils may therefore be provided which extend in each case along an entire line or column of the selector. The latter construction requires particular guides for the magnetic flux, namely, magnetic shunts for the contacts carrying the magnetic flux, so as to prevent, responsive to energization of a holding coil and the line or column coil crossing such holding coil, operative actuation of the contact set disposed at the crossing point.

The invention proceeds from the principles noted above. It is concerned with a coordinate selector in which individual features of known coordinate selectors are combined so as to obtain, by the use of further structural means, a very compact and, so far as fabrication is concerned, a simple structure whose operational properties, which are determined by the magnetic phenomena, can be easily controlled.

The coordinate selector according to the invention provides for each contact set an energizing coil and a holding coil extending in one coordinate direction common to a column of contact sets, the columns of this coordinate direction being mutually separated by magnetizable partition plates and being mutually shielded, the magnetizable plates extending approximately to adjacent the terminal ends of the contact springs and serving at the same time as magnetic return paths for the flux leaving the contact springs.

The foregoing and further objects and features of the invention will appear from the description which will be rendered below with reference to the accompanying draw ings. In the drawings,

3,086,085 Patented Apr. 16, 1963 FIG. 1 shows a sealed-in or protective tube contact device;

FIG. 2 represents in perspective view parts of a coordinate selector according to the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a contact set comprising a plurality of contacts forming a structural unit;

FIGS. 4 and 5 indicate an arrangement of contact sets with the contacts per set arranged so that the ends of the contact springs are disposed in the outline of a parallelogram and individually parallel to a line thereof which extends in parallel to a coordinate direction of the selector; and

FIG. 6 shows a circuit based upon the structure according to the invention.

The coordinate selector switch as illustrated in FIG. 2 has an interior structure comprising a plurality of columns, only one column being shown to keep the drawing simple. Within the illustrated column, there are individual contact sets 1, consisting respectively of four sealed-in contacts. Each of these contact sets is surrounded by an energizing coil 2 which is individual thereto, energization of such coil causing operative actuation of the contacts of the corresponding contact set. Actuated contacts belonging to this column are held in actuated position by the actuation of a holding coil 3 which embraces the entire column. The magnitude of energization of the holding coil 3 is just sufficient to hold actuated contacts in actuated position but insuflicient to cause operative actuation of other contacts.

Each contact set 1 forms a structural unit as shown separately in FIG. 3. The contact set comprising four sealed-in contacts, is held together by blocks 4 and 5 made of insulating material disposed at the opposite ends thereof. The insulating material may be any desired and uitable thermoplastic material or a hardenable mass.

From the blocks 4 and 5 extend respectively the terminal ends 6 of the contact springs. The block 5 has a special soldering tab 7 serving as a terminal for one side of the energizing coil. The energizing coil (see FIG. 2) can be placed upon the contact set either subsequently or prior to providing the connection with the blocks 4 and 5. The block 4 has a recess formed therein for receiving a decoupling rectifier 8, operating in known manner, one of the terminals of which extends to the soldering tab 9. The other terminal is formed by the soldering tab 22 to which is connected the other side of the energizing coil. Accordingly, there is established a connection from the soldering tab 7 to the energizing coil and from there to the soldering tab 22 and thence by way of the rectifier 8 to the soldering tab 9.

The contact sets such as the set 1 may be secured or mounted in the coordinate selector in various ways. FIG. 2 shows two particularly advantageous arrangements. At the side facing away from the observer of the coordinate selector switch, the contact sets 1 are inserted in recesses or cutouts .10 formed in a bar 11. The shape of these recesses or cutouts is determined by the structure of the respective contact sets. The individual contacts may be disposed either directly in the cutouts 10, without requiring special blocks, or the cutouts may be matched to the shape of the blocks. On the side facing the observer of the coordinate selector, the blocks 4 serve for the spaced disposal of the contact sets simply by the superposed positioning thereof.

The above described column-wise construction, consisting of the superposed contact sets 1 with the energizing coils 2, holding coil 3 and bar 11, is delimited on both sides by respective magnetizable plates extending over the entire column and in depth from the frontal end of the contact sets to the rear end thereof. The drawing FIG. 2 shows only the magnetizable plate 12 extending at the left of and adjacent to the illustrated column of contact sets and secured together, for example, by screws, welding, or other suitable means. The object of this plate 12 is to mutually shield the contact sets disposed along both of its sides, thus preventing a magnetic excitation within a column of contact sets to affect a neighboring column. The magnetizable plate also operates as a magnetic return path for the magnetic flux leaving the ends of the contact springs. This return path increases the sensitivity of the arrangement considerably, that is, relatively low magnetic excitation will sufiice for obtaining the desired operation.

The remaining columns are constructed just like the column shown in H6. 2 and described above. in the resulting structure, the individual columns are enclosed within magnetizable plates 12 extending along each side thereof. Two such plates accordingly act with respect to the column enclosed thereby, as a magnetic return path, whereby each plate forms the return path for the columns extending along its respective sides-excepting of course the outermost plates each of which acts only with respect to the column extending adjacent thereto.

The various columns of contact sets and intervening magnetizable plates of the coordinate selector according to the invention are inserted into 'a frame 13 and secured therein by brackets 14 punched respectively from the top and bottom frame walls and forming guides for the insertion of units comprising respectively a magnetizable plate 12 and a column extending adjacent thereto. These units are terminated at the opposite ends by members 15 the shapes of which are fitted to the contact sets disposed adjacent thereto and to the respective top and bottom frame walls. The members 15 are cross-sectionally triangular for reasons of the configuration of the contact sets which will be presently explaned more in detail. Each member 15 has a guide groove formed therein for receiving the respective guide and securing bracket 14.

The outer vertically extending walls of the frame 13 form at the same time the magnetic return path plates for the outermost columns of contact sets.

The subdivision of the structure into individual structural units, namely, the contact sets with the energizing coils and the metallic plates with the columns, constitutes a considerable advantage and convenience in connection with manufacture, permitting particularly a subdivision of the assembly into individual easily executed operations. The use of structural units arranged in columns provides moreover for enlargement or increase of the capacity of the selector, merely requiring :simple addition of further columns of contact sets to an existing structure to etfect the desired increase. Such increase may be considered in advance by making the frame large enough to provide space for units that might have to be added subsequently.

The individual contacts within the contact sets may be disposed in particular manner so as to permit the use of linearly extending bare wires for the multiple wiring thereof. This particular arrangement consists in positioning the contacts in each set so that the outer or terminal ends of the contact springs are disposed at the four corners of a parallelogram with corresponding contacts of the respective sets arranged in respective lines extending parallel to a coordinate direction of the selector switch and particularly in the direction of the metallic return path plates.

The above indicated arrangement is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, showing in schematic manner portions of the coordinate selector according to the invention, namely, three successive columns and within these columns two successive rows. FIG. 4 shows the contact sets as seen from the rear of the coordinate selector illustrated in FIG. 2, and FIG. shows the same contact sets as seen from the front.

There are in the illustrated example four contacts in each contact set, the terminal ends 6 of the individual contacts (see FIG. 3) being positioned rhombical, thus giving the possibility to use for the multiple wiring which extends perpendicularly to the contact springs, the multiple wiring in the present case comprising bare linearly extending wires 17, the rhombical positioning of the contact springs giving ample space for such arrangement of the multiple wiring. The soldering tabs 7 (see also FIG. 3), for connecting the energizing coils, disposed at the same ends of the contact sets (rear end in FIG. 2) are similarly interconnected by bare wires 18 extending in parallel to the multiple wiring 17.

At the other side or end of the contact sets (front as seen in FIG. 2) extends the column multiple wiring shown in FIG. 5, such multiple wiring likewise consisting of linear bare wires 19. The terminal ends 6 of the contact springs (see FIG. 3) are on this side in the corresponding coordinate direction normally in alignment; in order to permit use of the linearly extending bare multiple wires 19, these terminal ends are bent, as for example, the top pair of contacts of each set being bent to the right and the bottom pair of each set being bent to the left, which is easily done since they extend at this end with their fiat sides in parallel to the corresponding coordinate direction (column direction). FIG. 5 also shows the soldering tabs 9 for the decoupling rectifiers 8 (see also FIG. 3), which are likewise interconnected by means of linearly extending blank wires such as 20.

The particular advantage of the above described construction of the contact sets resides in the possibility of using bare wire multiple wiring extending linearly through the structure, thereby eliminating the otherwise customary band or ribbon cables with soldering ears extending therefrom. Attention is directed to the fact that the multiple wiring extends on each side of the coordinate selector switch in a single direction only, that is, without any crossings within a multiple, thus resulting in a very compact and simple arrangement.

The electrical circuit for the construction according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 6, is limited to portions comprising four crossing points. The rows are formed by the multiple wiring 17 and the columns by the multiple wiring 19'. At the crossing points of these multiples are disposed the contact sets formed by individual scaled-in contacts 21. The actuation of these contact sets is effected by means of energizing coils 2 which are respectively in series connection each with a decoupling rectifier 8. The energizing coils 2 are connected to current by way of multiple conductors 18 and 20. Each column has a common holding coil 3 for holding actuated contact sets in the respective column in actuated position.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. A coordinate switch having a plurality of columns of contact sets disposed side by side and extending in one coordinate direction, each column including a plurality of sets of contacts, each contact set having a plurality of individual electromagnetically actuated contacts disposed respectively at crossing points of the coordinates of the switch, each individual contact being of the sealedin type having contact springs carrying the magnetic flux required for the operative actuation thereof, the terminal ends of said contact springs extending outwardly of the sealed-in portions thereof, comprising an energizing coil embracing each set of contacts and being individual thereto, a holding coil common to the contact sets disposed in a column and embracing such contact sets, magnetizable partition plate members disposed respectively between adjacent columns of contact sets for separating and for mutually shielding said columns of contact sets, said partition plate members extending, in a planar form, from approximately one terminal end of each contact set of adjoining columns to the opposite ends of such sets, and in transverse direction extending over the length of the column, said plate members also serving as magnetic return path means for the flux leaving said contact springs.

2. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising a block of insulating material for securing the contacts of each set in position.

3. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising bars extending in parallel with the respective holding coils, said bars having cutouts formed therein for receiving and securing the respective contact sets at one end thereof.

4. A coordinate switch according to claim 3, wherein said bars are disposed between respective pairs of said magnetizable plate members.

5. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising a block of insulating material for securing the contacts of each set in position, the blocks of a plurality of contact sets being stacked together and being disposed between respective pairs of said magnetizable plate members.

6. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising a block of insulating material for securing the contacts of each set in position, a recess being formed in each block for receiving a decoupling rectifier, and a decoupling rectifier disposed in said recess.

7. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising a frame for receiving said magnetizable plate members with said columns of contacts sets disposed therebetween which are inserted into said frame.

8. A coordinate switch according to claim 7, further comprising means in said frame for guiding the insertion of said named parts.

9. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, wherein the contact springs of each contact set are positioned with adjacent terminal ends thereof disposed at the four corners of a parallelogram with corresponding contacts of the respective sets extending parallel to a line of the parallelogram which extends parallel to the coordinate direction of the switch coinciding with the direction of said magnetizable partition plate members, whereby none of such adjacent terminal ends of each set is in alignment in either coordinate direction.

10. A coordinate switch according to claim 9, further comprising bare wire wiring extending linearly along the respective coordinate directions and constituting the multiple wiring for the contacts of said contact sets.

11. A coordinate switch according to claim 1, further comprising a decoupling rectifier for each contact set, means for interconnecting one terminal of said rectifier with one terminal of the energizing coil for the respective contact set, the other terminals for said energizing coil and said rectifier extending respectively from opposite ends of the corresponding contact sets, bare wire wiring interconnecting said other terminals and extending linearly along the sides of said switch, and further bare wire multiple wiring interconnecting the terminal ends of the contact springs of said contact sets and extending linearly in parallel with said first named wiring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,187,115 Ellwood et al. Jan. 16, 1940 2,226,666 Lienzen Dec. 31, 1940 2,326,647 Horton Aug. 10, 1943 2,331,514 Stibitz Oct. 12, 1943 2,925,471 Licht Feb. 16, 1960 2,969,434 McGuire et al. Ian. 24, 1961 2,983,792 Nitsch May 9, 1961 

1. A COORDINATE SWITCH HAVING A PLURALITY OF COLUMNS OF CONTACT SETS DISPOSED SIDE BY SIDE AND EXTENDING IN ONE COORDINATE DIRECTION, EACH COLUMN INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SETS OF CONTACTS, EACH CONTACT SET HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ACTUATED CONTACTS DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY AT CROSSING POINTS OF THE COORDINATES OF THE SWITCH, EACH INDIVIDUAL CONTACT BEING OF THE SEALEDIN TYPE HAVING CONTACT SPRINGS CARRYING THE MAGNETIC FLUX REQUIRED FOR THE OPERATIVE ACTUATION THEREOF, THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID CONTACT SPRINGS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE SEALED-IN PORTIONS THEREOF, COMPRISING AN ENERGIZING COIL EMBRACING EACH SET OF CONTACTS AND BEING INDIVIDUAL THERETO, A HOLDING COIL COMMON TO THE CONTACT SETS DISPOSED IN A COLUMN AND EMBRACING SUCH CONTACT SETS, MAGNETIZABLE PARTITION PLATE MEMBERS DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN ADJACENT COLUMNS OF CONTACT SETS FOR SEPARATING AND FOR MUTUALLY SHIELDING SAID COLUMNS OF CONTACT SETS, SAID PARTITION PLATE MEMBERS EXTENDING, IN A PLANAR FORM, FROM APPROXIMATELY ONE TERMINAL END OF EACH CONTACT SET OF ADJOINING COLUMNS TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SUCH SETS, AND IN TRANSVERSE DIRECTION EXTENDING OVER THE LENGTH OF THE COLUMN, SAID PLATE MEMBERS ALSO SERVING AS MAGNETIC RETURN PATH MEANS FOR THE FLUX LEAVING SAID CONTACT SPRINGS. 